Over the last 30 years of editing, I have worked on a wide range of projects. Some were cuts only, other were wacky music videos. Over time, I developed an instinct for what kind of pacing and transitions suited the nature of the project. I learned that options were something I wanted in the tools I used to tell the various stories.
When the bomb dropped on FCP 7, I found myself once again faced with learning new tools (Premiere Pro CS5) and updating my knowledge of familiar tools (After Effects CS5).
In the learning process, I was a little surprised with the very basic and vanilla transitions that were available in Premiere Pro CS5. This motivated me into doing some aggressive research into what alternatives were available. I like to have options, and I really didn't have any. I explored what was available and found it sorely lacking.
But today I discovered the tool that gives me a wide range of creative options.
Boris RED 5
has been released for the 64 bit Mac by Boris FX. And I am quite happy about that.
It is a transition plugin that you apply at the transition point between 2 clips.
Then in the effects panel you can press the "Custom" button to open the Boris interface. Now at first any new interface can be daunting.
But the inclusion of an extensive Effects Library means that I can use them right away. Over time, they can be analyzed to broaden my understanding of how I can build my own custom transitions. This is where the real power lies. There are additional libraries of presets available from
Eye Scream Factory
.
Those familiar with After Effects will be happy to see that FEC and BCC filters are included as some of the building blocks in the creation of custom transitions. The amount of variable controls on these filters enhances the creative possibilities.
The timeline is where these and other effect elements can be blended and key framed.
Of course the best way to feel comfortable is indulging in a tutorial or two.
Back in the Premiere Pro timeline, I was surprised by how many effects played in real time on my system. Others required playing one time thru and Premiere Pro would cache the effect. Even rendering was generally zippy.
Now to be fair, my focus on this software is really just on the wealth of transitions it brings to the Premiere table. There are lots of other features and abilities I haven't explored. I have been using AE for 15 years and will continue to do so, but that doesn't interfere with my appreciation for the transitional void this has filled in Premiere Pro.
I am by nature an enthusiastic, motivated person. I hope that isn't mistaken for hard sell. Some may balk at the expenditure to purchase this software. But as a professional, I see it at the moment as the only way to bring some power and choice into Premiere's transition capabilities. You may not use them all the time, but when you need them its nice you can do just about anything you want.